The Human Pet

The first thing Crimson did when he opened his eyes was smile. Then he shouted: "Soup!"

The nurses shared concerned glances. Super Star had to dispel their worries with a giggle. "It's okay. He's using my nickname." She nuzzled appreciatively into his neck. "Hey, Crimson... how do you feel?"

"Considering I woke up at all? I feel like a million bits. Time to get to work!"

It was a long and laborious process, but they eventually convinced him to stay in bed at least until one of the Princesses had seen him. "I'm really alright!" Crimson politely insisted. "A couple scratches, nothing more."

"You're missing an ear." Super Star deadpanned.

"It'll be a wonderful conversation starter."

The white batmare sighed, and shook her head. Her brother had always been too foalish for his own good, too eager to be involved without considering the nuances of what was going on around him... or in this case, with his own health. "Let's just get you something to eat, okay? It's midnight, but I'm sure the castle chefs can fix you something."

After getting a pinkie promise from Crimson that he would not leave the bed, Super Star brought him his midnight breakfast on a tray. It was a hayburger slathered in fresh blood. Crimson took a good sniff. "This is unicorn blood. Where did this come from?"

"I borrowed it from the medical storage unit." Soup said, and gave him a mischievous smile. "Don't be a stick-in-the-mud, they won't miss it. There's at least a hundred in there, and barely anyone ever uses them."

Crimson frowned. "I promised Nurse Redheart that I wouldn't steal blood anymore."

"But it'll make you feel better than Princess Luna's stupid potion. And it's unicorn blood! Spicy!" She cooed. "Besides, it's already on the plate. So you might as well eat it."

He considered the delectable burger for a few moments, but then moved the tray away from him. Soup shrugged and ate the burger herself, making exaggerated moans all the while. "Mmm, that iron... hits the spot!" Her hooves were stained red by the end. She licked them clean. "You know, if they won't miss one pack, I doubt they'd miss two. I could always go back and-"

"Let it go, Soup." Crimson said firmly, already on his last scrap of self-control.

The white batmare shrugged comically to try to ease the tension. "Ah well. I wanted to talk to you anyway."

"I'm all ears... ear." He rubbed the stump on one side of his head, still getting used to the idea of having a single ear. His ability to echolocate would be severely diminished. Ah well. The mares would miss his good looks more than he would.

"Mother asked me to convince you to switch sides."

Crimson Star deadpanned at her.

"Why not?" There was no anger in Soup's voice, merely curiosity.

"I met Nightmare Moon." His sister gasped dramatically. Crimson smiled, enjoying the absolute attention he now held. "I was in Ponyville during the last Summer Sun Celebration, and I saw her. I even spoke to her." He decided not to mention that she'd broken his wings. "And it was there that I realised that dominion over other ponies is not within my nature. Therefore I cannot join mother's cause."

Super Star shook her head. "But daytime ponies? Daytimers and thestrals don't mix."

"I will admit it's difficult sometimes. I haven't always agreed with the Princesses. And truth be told, I never wanted to be a Guard in the first place. That was mother's choice for me."

"So why don't you quit?" The batmare asked.

"That was my intention. But as the only bridge between our family and the alicorns, I felt it was my duty to mediate between the two. Obviously I was deluding myself."

Soup nuzzled Crimson under his chin reassuringly. "I'm sorry things didn't work out. But it's out of your hooves now. Princess Luna has already left the Castle to deal with mother." She relayed the details of the strategy session to Crimson. "Luna will lose. When the Nightmare returns, we will both be free to live however we please. You and I could start a new future."

Crimson only cared about one thing she said. "Why will Luna lose?"

"Mother said I should come here and tell the Princesses about her plans. If she's so confident..."

"Then her victory is absolute, or she wants to set a trap." Crimson finished. He suddenly looked very tired. "Which means I might be the only one who can stop it. Mother won't kill me."

Soup looked horrified. She hadn't expected him to say that. "No! You're too weak to move! You're not going anywhere! Listen to what I'm saying. We can have new lives! This isn't our war anymore. Just let mother win and we'll-"

"Enough!" Crimson's sharp command stunned Soup. She had never heard her brother raise his voice. "My entire team died, save for one. My team, my bats! Good bats, who died thinking my orders were worth it. I am bound by them. Now help me, sister, or get out of my way."

Soup's ears flattened against her head in shame. "What do you want to do?"

"Just get me to Princess Celestia."

There was some minor resistance, first from the nurses and then the various bureaucrats who tried to shield Celestia's wing of the Castle. "The Princess said most clearly, no visitors!" Crimson's response to each and every nuisance was to show them his white half-moon medallion.

Luna had once shared these amongst her most prized Guards. It was a symbol of absolute trust. In theory, the medallions did not grant the wearer any special authority or rank. They could be given to the lowliest private and kept from the most celebrated general. However, it was understood that the wearer was in Luna's inner circle and it was advisable for everypony to listen to what they had to say if they wanted to remain in her favor. This concept reached its apex during the era of Nightmare Moon, when the special chosen were pretty much the only ponies aside from her who wielded any notable power. The medallions were designed to disintegrate when their wearers died, which they all eventually did.

Following Luna's return, Celestia had advised her not to resurrect the concept, and she hadn't. But for old times' sake, she made one exception. Crimson thanked his lucky stars she had, as it would have been nearly impossible to get near the royal chambers otherwise. Celestia had apparently sequestered herself away from everypony. Officially, she was on holiday. Unofficially, nopony had a clue what was going on. With his medallion, Crimson (with Soup supporting him) was begrudgingly allowed in, the fear of displeasing Luna overriding Celestia's request to be left alone.

The two bats shuffled uncomfortably in Celestia's living room. It was far too warm for them to manage in their thick fur coats. Although a few windows were cracked open, they were covered and the air was stuffy. Roaring flames licked coal in the fireplace. The luxurious decor added to the hazy atmosphere in the room. Princess Celestia was lounging on the couch, bereft of all her jewelry except for the Alicorn Amulet hanging around her neck.

Crimson and Super Star shared concerned looks.

"I gave orders not to- oh, it's you." Celestia said. She looked somewhat disheveled, but surprisingly sane for a pony wearing the Amulet. "Do not be alarmed. I have absolute discipline over my mind, and the Amulet cannot control me. Although it is an incredibly persuasive thing."

"Princess?" Crimson asked tentatively.

She turned to his sister first. "Super Star, you have a lot on your mind."

"Um, err, yes." Soup stuttered, feeling very shy in front of the alicorn.

"I strongly recommend the astronomy tower as a place of private meditation. You will find the key on top of the door frame. No one shall disturb you there for many hours."

Soup glanced at Crimson. He nodded. She bowed awkwardly, thanked Celestia and left. As soon as the door shut, Crimson felt himself lifted up by Celestia's magical force. Unusually for her, the energy was tinted blood-red. Feeling the pain subside in his body, the bat realized that Celestia was performing an incredibly powerful healing spell. "Whoa!"

Celestia smirked, toying with the Amulet. "Impressive, isn't it? A spell of this complexity would take me months to perform. But this thing does most of the work for me. You see, part of Sombra's mind is embedded in it. And it is happy to serve so long as it can corrupt."

She released Crimson from her hold. He was entirely fixed. Even his ear had grown back! "Princess, I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. But I must ask - is it wise to use the Amulet?"

"Oh no, not even in the slightest." Celestia bit her lower lip, and giggled. She looked like a filly whose hoof had been caught in the cookie jar. Crimson was unnerved, and took a cautious stance. "I'm sorry, corporal, I look like quite a mess." For a brief moment, Celestia was enveloped in fearsome red magic. When it disappeared, she reappeared in pristine physical condition, royal adornments included. The Amulet became an eyesore on top of her golden... whatever that thing around her neck was. "Please come here, Corporal."

Crimson considered his options. "Princess, I would like to do that, but Regulation #4815 clearly states that if one's superior is under the influence, his or her authority becomes temporarily void. And I can't think of anything more influential than that necklace, ma'am."

The Princess seemed amused by his defiance. "My dear thestral, you realize that I could just teleport you onto this couch?"

"Yes, but you wouldn't do that."

"That is true." Celestia drew a deep breath, and spoke with more restraint in her voice. "Corporal, I am in control of my faculties. The Amulet will not make me harm or dominate any of my little ponies. All of its power is concentrated on preventing me from giving it up. My choice to heal you was precisely that, my choice."

"Alright, I believe you. In any case, that's not why I'm here. Princess Luna has gone undercover to catch Chrysalis and my mother, and she has taken Lighthouse and Nurse Redheart with her. But I believe they are walking into a trap. You are the only one who can warn them."

Celestia shook her head. "My sister is a brilliant pony. If she wanted to hide, she would have taken every measure to ensure even I could not find her."

Crimson was not satisfied. "But she is still your sister! Surely you must have some idea of how she thinks, of where she'd go?"

"Perhaps..." The alicorn drawled. "But if I told you, you'd just rush off to danger again and get yourself hurt..." She patted the empty side of the couch, and Crimson realized that she was being influenced by the Amulet after all. It had found a way to warp Celestia's love of her little ponies into greedy possessiveness.

He decided on a different approach. "Princess Celestia... if you give me the information I need, I would be happy to cuddle with you for the next two hours."

Celestia gasped and broke into tears. "Only two hours??" She cried loudly. "It's because I misjudged you, isn't it? ISN'T IT?! It's not faaaaaair! You're literally Crystal's son! ... Waaaaaaa!!"

"... four hours?"

"My sister gets to cuddle bats all the time! She's a hoarder! A bat hoarder! I never get bats! 2000 years and I've never cuddled a bat! I want a ba-a-a-at!" Two rivulets gushed out of Celestia's eyes.

"One day of cuddling or none. That's my final offer." Crimson lied. He would raise the offer if pressured. After all, how often does a bat get to cuddle Celestia?

THREE DAYS LATER

"Okay, I REALLY have to go save them now..."